Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-28
ArSGuT FOR ARE.
yr.c Terrible Experience OF Two
Young Farmers.

Conestogo Centre penn telegram
s,ys: Saturday evening last Frank
cu,z and Frank Hoax, two young
farmers of this township, drove into
this village from Hoak's farm, and
from here drove 20 Miller's woods to
attend picnic. There had been sew
cral very heavy thunder-storms during
the dav. and while the two men
were at the picnic Pequea creek,
which they had to ford to return home,
rose rapidly until it was nearly bank
jul. Hoax and Foutz started on Their
return home about I'D o'clock. Inc
night was very dark, but the road was
familiar to them, and they did not
know that the stream was runhing
food. They were in an open buggy.
On reaching the ford near Martic
Forge. Hoax. who was driving, re-
marked that the streas was up little,
bus drove in at the ford. The horse
did MOI hesitate, but the wagon WAS no
sooner in the water than it began to
foat, and Hoax SAW that the horse was
swimming. The current was very swift,
and in spite OF the great efforts the
horse made to swim TO the opposite
shore and drag the floating buggy with
him tie food carried them swiftly
down stream.
"Wcwill bave to Jump and swim for
our lives" said Eoak to his companion.
81 can't swim q stroke, was foutE's
dospairing reply.
Then stick TO the buggy" said
Hoax, "and will jump ont and try to
hel9 the horse along"
Hoax leaped out at the upper side
and srcceeded in swimming out and
Selling the horse by the bride. lie
Guided the horse toward the opposite
bank. and the wagon swung around
and came near the bank.
Jump, now, for your life :" Hoax
shouted TO Foutz.
The latter leaped toward the bank.
His breast struck the top of the bank,
and he grasped the sod with both hands
and hung in the swift water, held up
by that treacherous support. Rya des-
perate effort he pulled himself ont and
saved himself. When he got upon his
feet Hoax and the horse and wagon had
disappeared. Foutz shouted to Hoax
and received n reply from far down the
stream. Foutz hurried INTO Hoax farm
for aid On his way back whit two other
men. nearly an hour later, he met Hoax
Itseems that the bank where Foutz had
Leaned out of the wagon and saved
himself was too high and steep to per
nit the horse to make n landing. and
he was swept, with the wagon, back to
the middle of the stream. Hoax was
determined TO save the faithful beast If
possible, even at the risk of his own
lie. and lie chung to the horse, urging,
guiding, and encouraging him as best
be could against the fearful flood, and
The horse worked noblv in response to
his masters words. Hoax and the horse
struggled with tie current until they
were carried more thana mile down the
creek. Hoax WAS by that time nearly ex-
hausted, and his horse was plainly
giving up the struggle. Seeing that
further endeavor was useless, and know
ing that unless he soon saved himself
be would he powerless to do so, Hoax
reluctantly abandoned his horse to its
fate and struck out for shore. He need
cd all his remaining strength to breast
the current. and if he had had twenty
feet further to 90 to reach shore he
never could have got there. Yesterday
morning the dead body of the horse
was found two miles down the creek,
with the buggy piled on top OF him.